


Purified

by MeridianPurified



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Dark Brotherhood - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22601389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeridianPurified/pseuds/MeridianPurified
Summary: Dark Brotherhood assassin Delmus is contacted by Lucien Lachance to purify the Cheydinhal Sanctuary, he doesn't take it well...
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

“Ocheeva, Vicente Valtieri, Antoinetta Marie, Gogron gro-Bolmog, Telaendril, M'raaj-Dar and Teinaava. All of these family members must die!”

Delmus blinked. This couldn’t seriously be what Lachance had called him here for? Kill all his friends… Kill Teinaava? Did Lucien expect him to just blindly follow this order without seeing so much as a shred of proof of his friends’ guilt?

A nervous laugh escaped Delmus’ throat. “Haha.. okay Lucien, sure. So what did you actually call me here for?”

Lucien’s expression did not change, it gave nothing away and with every passing second Delmus began to realise the Silencer was serious.

“But… They’ve done nothing wrong.” Delmus protested. “I know them, they would never betray the Brotherhood! They all talk about you like the second coming of Sithis!”

“The Black Hand has deemed this necessary, the assassin’s of the Cheydinhal Sanctuary must be send to the void, to Sithis.” Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “Surely you won’t disobey your superiors?”

“Bastard…” Delmus growled, clenching his fist. “Do you think I’m some mindless drone who will carry out your every whim?”

“You are an assassin for the Dark Brotherhood.” Lucien replied coolly. “A trained killer who takes lives, and now that I am ordering you to take more lives you refuse because of personal reasons? How short sighted.”

Delmus’ crimson eyes stretched wide with outrage and then narrowed with hate. “How fucking dare you, Lachance.” He took a step toward Lucien. “Everyone in that Sanctuary looks up to you and respects you, two of them see you as a father! And here you are betraying their trust by plotting their murders!”

Delmus’ hand shot to the hilt of Goldbrand and he drew it and raised it in one swift motion.

Lucien’s eyes narrowed.

As Delmus went to bring the blade down onto the Speaker his hand stopped suddenly and was pulled backwards by a force he couldn’t see.

“What?” He looked back at his arm, held tightly above his head, try as he might to move it, his arm wouldn’t budge, no sharp tug or wrench could free his arm from the invisible force.

For a moment Delmus thought he could see something faintly visible coiled around his arm, but before he could make sure Lucien spoke to him.

“How disappointing. I thought you showed promise, but it seems you’d rather be a petulant child.” Lucien stepped right up to Delmus. “Perhaps when you awake you’ll have come to your senses.”

Lucien cast a spell on Delmus and the Dunmer began to lose consciousness. Goldbrand clattered to the floor as he fell to his knees and his head dropped as he passed out, held aloft by the strong force holding his arm up, until that let go and Delmus fell to the floor completely.

Lucien sighed heavily. “That could’ve gone better.”

“Really?” Kal-Rei tuned visible bedside Lucien, her tail that she had used to stop Delmus’ attack coiling around her waist. “You expected that to go any other way?”

“Now is not the time for scorn, sister. Make haste to the Cheydinhal Sanctuary, and do what Delmus refused to.”

“This will only end badly, Lachance. I can feel it.” The black Argonian left the Fort and made her way to the Cheydinhal Sanctuary, Lucien left shortly after, leaving Delmus alone on the cold stone floor.


	2. Chapter 2

Delmus ran a hand over his face groggily, using the other he pushed himself up off the floor. He blinked the blurriness from his eyes and sat up, looking around the room for any sign of Lucien.

He rasped his tongue over his lips and tasted blood, he had split his lip from the fall, he supposed. He picked up Goldbrand and used it to help stand himself up.

The room was silent, the whole fort seemed to be silent. Was Lucien still here? Watching to see what he did next? Then again, Delmus didn’t even know how long he had been out for.

He wiped the blood from his lower lip and looked to the ladder that lead out of the fort. “Better hurry back, warn the Sanctuary.” He muttered, grabbing the rungs and hauling himself out of the fort. He shielded his eyes from the sun as he climbed out the hollowed out tree.

He felt sick. It had been night when he had first arrived, and now it looked to be around midday. He looked down the hillside to Cheydinhal and his walk quickly turned into a jog, and into a full tilt sprint from there.

He barreled through the gates and towards the abandoned house the Sanctuary was hidden under. He practically tore the lid off the well and slid down the ladder into the Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary as quiet. There was none of the usual chatter of his fellow assassins, sharing stories of their contracts and exploits. Delmus felt like he could throw up. “Hey… Valtieri..?” He called quietly. He stepped further into the Sanctuary. “Ocheeva?” He called louder, finding his voice. “T-Teinaava? If this is some joke I’m not finding it very f-funny!”

He looked around a pillar and on the floor were the remains of one of the Sanctuary’s Dark Guardians. Delmus’ hand shot to the hilt of Goldbrand and he drew it, he gripped the hilt with both hands tightly, trying to stop the tremble that ran though him from head to toe.

He made his way through the Sanctuary towards the training room and gently pushed the door open.

He took one look into the room and slammed the door shut, pressing his back to the door and sliding down it, he covered his face with his left hand, his breathing fast, heavy, ragged.

It was minutes before Delmus could properly compose himself enough to put his shaking hand back to the door and push it open. Inside were the corpses Antoinetta, Gogron and Telaendril. They had all been killed mid training by the looks of it, Antoinetta was slumped up against a training doll, Gogron was laying facedown, his sword still in his hand and Telaendril still had an arrow in her hand, like she died mid-nock.

He wanted to stop looking. He wanted to flee. But he had to be sure that the others were alive.

He backed out of the training room and crossed the Sanctuary to the living quarters. He pushed the door open and another fresh wave of sickness washed over him. M'raaj-Dar was in his bed, the sheets were stained red with the Khajiit’s blood. Vicente and Ocheeva were both dead at the table.

Ocheeva looked like she had been unaware of her fate, like she had been killed instantly, but Vicente’s face was twisted in an expression of horror and fear.

“I was too late…” Delmus whispered, falling to his knees. “Gods this is all my fault…” He tried in vain to wipe away he tears as his mind raced.

What had done this to them? Was it Lachance? Had he taken it upon himself to kill the people who trusted him?

Delmus struggled to his feet, he was shaking uncontrollably at this point, there was but one assassin left unaccounted for: Teinaava, who Delmus was deeply in love with.

He had to find him, had to make sure he was okay. Delmus clung to this belief, it kept him moving.

Out of the living quarters, back into the main room of the Sanctuary and into the tunnels that lead deeper into the cave. He rounded the corner and at the bottom of the stairs he found Teinaava.

He descended each step slowly before practically falling down the last to as he slumped next to the body of the man he loved.

He gently pulled Teinaava into his arms and held him tightly. The Argonian had been killed by a single arrow to the heart.

Delmus closed Teinaava’s eyes and gently rested his head into the Argonian’s chest. “I’m sorry.” He whispered as his tears soaked the dead Argonian’s clothes. “I’m so sorry.”

Delmus’ hands shook uncontrollably as he gently let Teinaava fall from his grasp. He gently cupped the Argonian’s cheek and told him he loved him before forcing himself to his feet and back out of the Sanctuary. He was done with the Brotherhood. They had betrayed him, betrayed the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. Lucien had killed them, and the man he loved, and Delmus swore his revenge.

—–

Delmus looked over his bottle sadly. The Dunmer had resigned himself to drinking to forget. Forget what he had seen, forget Teinaava, even though he didn’t want to.

His head slumped into his arms as he gripped the neck of the bottle. He only looked up when the seat across from him was pulled out and someone sat down in it.

“Greetings Delmus, we have not met but I have heard a lot about you.” The man smiled.

“Who are you?” Delmus asked hostilely.

“My name is Mathieu Bellamont. Truthfully I am quite impressed by your actions, not many people would so openly stand up to Lucien Lachance like you did.”

Delmus stood up so quickly and with such force that his chair tipped back and clattered to the floor, Delmus pointed Goldbrand at Mathieu. “You’re one of them.” He hissed. “A Dark Brotherhood assassin.”

Mathieu raised his hand calmly. “You could say I am.” He nodded. “But please, sit, I shall explain everything to you.”

“And why should I listen.” Delmus growled.

“Because I am the traitor Lachance and the rest of the Black Hand are hunting. I am here to offer you your chance at revenge against the Brotherhood for their wrongs against you.” Mathieu smiled.

Delmus narrowed his eyes and sheathed Goldbrand before picking his chair back up and sitting in it. “Talk.”

Mathieu dipped his head. “You see Delmus, many years ago Lucien Lachance took a loved one from me too, my mother was very dear to me, and Lachance killed her. Just like he killed Teinaava.”

“Go on.” Delmus leaned forward.

“For years I have been biding my time, I have infiltrated the Dark Brotherhood and worked my way up, and now I am a member of the Black Hand itself.”

Delmus listened in silence.

“I am so close to my revenge Delmus, and now, I would like to offer you a part in it. Help me, help me kill Lucien Lachance.”

Delmus didn’t hesitate, he stood up and offered Bellamont his hand. “You have a deal, Mathieu. I’ll gladly help you.”

Mathieu stood up and took Delmus’ hand, shaking it. “Very good, brother. Our revenge, together.”

“Together.”


	3. Chapter 3

Lucien nervously paced back and forth, he was muttering to himself and shaking his head. Kal-Rei looked at him with folded arms.

“Sister, it’s all gone wrong, the traitor has infiltrated the Black Hand, sabotaged your dead drops and the Black Hand believes this to be my work.” Lucien finally turned to Kal-Rei. “I need you to help me.”

“To do what? Fight off the Black Hand?” Kal-Rei asked scornfully. “Face it Lucien, you’ve painted yourself into a corner here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lucien snapped.

“The purification of the Cheydinhal Sanctuary and then the systematic murder of the rest of the Brotherhood? You don’t exactly look innocent right now.”

“But that’s what the traitor wants, sister! He wants to make me look like the traitor! To continue his destruction of the Brotherhood! Lucien looked at her. "You must find evidence of the traitor!”

“How do you expect me to do that?” Cyrodiil is a big place.“ Kal-Rei narrowed her eyes. "And you’ll do what? Stay here in the meantime?”

“Here is the safest place for me, sister. Applewatch is just a quaint farm after all.” Lucien replied.

“Right. Because you’re such a humble farmer.” Kal-Rei lashed her tail. “Now how will I catch this traitor?”

“Hmm.” Lucien rubbed his chin in thought. “Yes, that’s it! Sister, you must go to your next dead drop and get there before the traitor!”

“And my next dead drop is where?” Kal-Rei asked.

“Anvil, a barrel near the lighthouse. Quickly, make haste, sister. You’re my only hope.”

—

Kal-Rei hated being in public. She hated being in public during the day more. The sun scorched her vampiric black scales and her hood couldn’t keep the tips of her fins from burning like they were aflame.

Fortunately Kal-Rei wouldn’t have to wait in the sun, she had found a small pond near the barrel that she could keep watch from. Inside the barrel had been Lucien’s real order, which meant the traitor hadn’t replaced it yet.

For 80 years Kal-Rei had served the Brotherhood, and she had never seen it in such a sorry state, she lamented. She considered for a moment leaving it all behind, leaving Lucien to his fate and the Brotherhood to be destroyed by the traitor.

But this life was all she knew, it would be impossible for her to have a normal life at the point.

Movement above the surface of the water pulled her away from her thoughts. She raised her head above the surface and saw a Bosmer rooting around in the barrel.

In a moment she rose from the water and was upon the Bosmer. He didn’t have time before she pressed a hand firmly to his mouth and a dagger firmly to his neck. “Scream and I’ll hang you with your own entrails.” She hissed.

The Bosmer nodded and looked at her with wide eyes. Kal-Rei took the time to look the Bosmer over. He sure didn’t look like an assassin, but Kal-Rei knew looks could be deceiving.

“Who are you?” She demanded, letting her hand off of his mouth.

“E-Enilroth.” The Bosmer replied timidly. “Pl-please, what are you doing?”

“What are you doing?!” Kal-Rei demanded. “You’ve been meddling in Dark Brotherhood affairs.”

Enilroth’s eyes widened. “D-Dark Brotherhood… O-oh my..”

Kal-Rei gripped his collar and slammed him against the wall. “Why were you messing with that barrel?!”

“Gods please! I was paid to!

"By who?” Kal-Rei hissed.

“I don’t know! He wore a hood! He wouldn’t tell me his name!” Enilroth was practically in tears by now. “All I know is he stayed in the lighthouse!”

Kal-Rei looked over her shoulder at the Anvil lighthouse.

“Please that’s all I know! Please let me go!” Enilroth sobbed.

Kal-Rei narrowed her eyes. The sun beat down on her back, it made her throat dry and parched. She looked at Enilroth’s throat, free meals didn’t come often…

She lowered her dagger from Enilroth’s throat and the Bosmer breathed a sigh of relief.

Too soon, however, as Kal-Rei immediately sank her teeth into the Bosmer’s neck, clapping a hand over his mouth to muffle his screams.

She clamped her jaws tighter and tighter around his neck until he stopped struggling and went limp, and then Kal-Rei drank her fill.

When she was done she let the Bosmer’s drained body fall limply to the floor before making her way to the lighthouse.

She figured the only place someone could realistically hide is in the basement, but when she tried the door it was locked.

“Can I help you?” A Nord man asked from behind her.

“You the keeper here?” Kal-Rei asked without turning around.

“Sure am.” The Nord replied. “And you’re a trespasser, clear off before I call the guards.”

Kal-Rei’s tail began to uncoil from her her waist. “You wouldn’t happen to have a key for this door would you?”

“I said clear o-” The keeper was cut off as Kal-Rei’s tail uncoiled fully and wrapped around his throat, pulling him towards the Argonian assassin.

Kal-Rei’s tail coiled tighter around the keeper’s neck until she heard it crack and he slumped down dead.

She recoiled her tail and rooted around in his pockets until she found the key to the basement. Pushing the door open she descended the stairs, her dagger at the ready in case the traitor was here.

She stuck close to the walls weaving between the clutter that littered the basement until she made her way to a small alter, upon which sat a decapitated head and a diary.

“What the fuck..?” She muttered, picking up the diary and starting to read. The more and more pages she turned the more and more dread filled her.

This was all the evidence she needed. She pocketed the diary and left the lighthouse.

—

Lucien paced back and forth as he waited for Kal-Rei to return, hopefully with proof of his innocence.

He wished she’d hurry, it was only a matter of time before the Black Hand found him, and he knew what happened to traitors to the Brotherhood.

He was stirred from his thoughts when the door to Applewatch opened, but no one came in.

Sweat started to drip down Lucien’s forehead. He felt sick to his stomach, felt nervous. He drew a dagger and slowly crept towards the door.

“Lachance.”

Lucien spun around, behind him was Mathieu Bellamont.

“Sp-speaker Bellamont.” Lucien tried to regain his composure. “Listen, I know what you must think, but believe me when I say I am not the traitor!”

“I know you’re not the traitor, Lucien.” Bellamont smiled.

Lucien breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh thank Sithis.”

“Because we are.” Mathieu smiled.

With that Delmus entered the shack behind Lucien and struck him over the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

—

Lucien stirred slowly. Quickly he realised he was tied to a chair. He shook his head and looked up, across from hit sitting backwards in a chair was Delmus.

“D-Delmus..?” He said groggily.

Delmus smiled and waved. “Hello Lucien, good of you to remember me.” He stood up and put the chair to one side. “It’ll be a while before the rest of the Black Hand shows up, so we have some time to have fun.”

“I’m.. n-not the traitor.” Lucien protested.

“That’s now what this is about, Lucien.” Delmus set his foot on the chair between Lucien’s legs. “This is about revenge, for the Cheydinhal Sanctuary.”

“And for my mother.” Mathieu added from behind Lucien.

Lucien turned his head to see Mathieu preparing torture tools on a table and he began to panic. “What are you going to do to me?”

Delmus grinned and let out a small chuckle. “Oh Lucien.” He put a hand on the assassin’s shoulder. “We’re going to pay you back for all the suffering you put us through.”

When they were done Lucien was still alive, just. Delmus and Mathieu stood outside Applewatch. Delmus lent against the wall, his gloves were covered in blood as he had used them more than any tool, Mathieu on the other hand had used his instruments to their fullest capability.

“You’ll kill him, won’t you?” Delmus asked.

“Yes.” Bellamont replied. “The rest of the Black Hand will be here shortly and then we’ll finish him off.”

“Make sure he suffers as much as possible, won’t you?” Delmus asked.

“Of course. Aren’t you staying though?” Bellamont asked.

Delmus shook his head. “My time with the Brotherhood his over, I only came back to kill Lucien.”

“Very well. No doubt he sent Kal-Rei to find proof of his innocence, but by the time she returns Lucien shall be dead, and then when the rest of the Brotherhood is together I’ll finish this order off for good.”

Delmus pushed off the wall and the two shook hands. “Good luck, Mathieu.”

“And good luck in all your future endeavours, Delmus.” Mathieu nodded. “Thank you.”

Delmus turned and left Applewatch, though he sat on a hill to watch the rest of the Black Hand arrive. After they filed into Applewatch Delmus stood up and walked away for good, satisfied, knowing that Lucien Lachance had suffered and died and that he had played a key part in it.


	4. Chapter 4

Kal-Rei rubbed her eyes tiredly as she made it over the hill that overlooked Applewatch. She had travelled day and night to get back here from Anvil. Lucien had better give her a proper reward for this, not some hollow “Sithis is pleased” bullshit like she usually got.

She made her way down the hill and towards Applewatch. Kal-Rei stopped momentarily. Applewatch was a quaint little farm, she’d like to retire to someplace like this when she was done with the Brotherhood and, Hist willing, that’d be soon.

The thought made her smile, and gave her a little more energy to get back Lucien with the proof of his innocence.

She pushed open the door. “Lucien-!”

Her smile dropped, her brief moment of happiness snuffed out. “Really? Fucking really?!”

Lucien Lachance had been strung up by his feet and mutilated beyond recognition, so much so that anybody without prior knowledge as to he was would never be able to guess one thing about him.

“Silencer, we’re happy you’ve returned. As you can see we’ve dealt with the traitor, and the Dark Brotherhood is safe again.” Arquen smiled and approached Kal-Rei.

“What.. did you do..?” Kal-Rei asked, the rage was starting to grow. This was the Black Hand she had served so long? Nothing but incompetent idiots! She bared her teeth.

“Sister, we killed the traitor.” Arquen’s smile dropped when she saw Kal-Rei’s demeanor. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?!” Kal-Rei yelled. She grabbed the traitor’s diary from inside her robes and flung it at Arquen. “What’s wrong is that you killed the wrong person!”

Arquen just about caught the book and looked at it before opening it and beginning to read.

Kal-Rei pushed past her and to the corpse of Lachance. She wasn’t in mourning, she didn’t feel sad for him. All she felt was the conditioned emptiness 80 years of killing had brought upon her and her one ticket out had died with Lachance, the only sadness she felt was for herself.

“Damnit.” She muttered.

In the meantime Arquen finished reading, she was pale. She cleared her throat. “It appears we will have to consult the Night Mother herself.”

“To appoint a new Listener?” Banus asked.

“Yes.” Arquen nodded briskly. “Come we must leave at once.”

Arquen wouldn’t show it, but Kal-Rei could see her unease. She had been disturbed by the contents of the diary.

Kal-Rei looked around the room. One of the assassin’s in the room was the traitor, and after she killed them she would finally leave the Brotherhood, for good. She was sure of it.

Arquen lead that departure from Applewatch. They were heading to Bravil, to the Night Mother’s tomb. The journey was spent in an absolute, tense silent. Kal-Rei’s tail twitched in anticipation, once they were at the tomb the traitor would attack, she was sure of it.

Kal-Rei spent most of the journey in thought, but keeping a wary watch on her traveling companions. She thought about the decaying head of the traitor’s mother. The head didn’t have the pointed ears of an elf, so the traitor had to be either Mathieu Bellamont or Belisarius Arius, she kept a close eye on them.

She spent so long in thought that she didn’t notice their arrival in Bravil until Arquen announced it.

When Kal-Rei snapped back to reality they were standing before the the Lucky Old Lady statue and Kal-Rei suddenly realised why the Listener had been standing before the statue when she had killed him.

Arquen cleared her throat. “Unholy Matron, we of the Black Hand beseech you! Reveal yourself now, most magnificent Night Mother, so that we may seek your guidance!”

The statue began to contort and twist, the sight was disturbing enough to make a shiver run down Kal-Rei’s spine.

When the statue was finished it had revealed a trap door. “This hatch leads down into the Night Mother’s crypt, where we shall elect a new Listener.”

One by one that assassin’s filed into the tomb. Arquen addressed the Night Mother directly, and the spirit of a woman appeared before them. “Who dares disturb my slumber?” The spirit demanded.

“Dearest Night Mother! Most Unholy Maiden! Please, we beg your mercy in this, our time of need! The Black Hand seeks your guidance!” Arquen begged.

Kal-Rei’s tail uncoiled slightly. Banus, Bellamont and Belisarius were behind her.

"Ah, yes, I have been expecting you. The Listener now kneels by Sithis, as does his successor, and now you want for me to choose a new Listener.“ The Night Mother didn’t ask this, she stated it.

"Yes! Yes, Night Mother! Please, guide us in our hour of need!” Arquen pleaded.

“Enough! Enough of this! You will all suffer for the pain you have caused me! I will destroy your Night Mother, and the Dark Brotherhood will fall!”

Kal-Rei turned, Banus and Belisarius were dead, and Mathieu Bellamont stood over them.

“What treachery? The traitor still lives! It is Mathieu Bellamont! Do not let him harm the Night Mother! Kill him!” Arquen screamed, rushing the Breton.

Kal-Rei drew her dagger. Bellamont and Arquen exchanged blows, but before long Bellamont knocked her to the floor. Arquen hit her head on the stone alter to the Night Mother and fell unconscious.

Mathieu turned to Kal-Rei. Her tail was uncoiled and lashing back and forth like a whip.

“You’re next lizard. With your death my revenge will be complete!” Bellamont screamed.

Kal-Rei’s tail coiled around the hilt of the slain Banus’ dagger, pulling it from its sheath and dropping it into Kal-Rei’s free hand.

“For years I’ve toiled in this wretched organisation, waiting for the perfect chance for my revenge! And now-”

“Yes I know, I read your diary.” Kal-Rei cut him off, rushing him.

Bellamont tried to deflect as many blows as possible, but Kal-Rei was well trained, and better than him. She blocked his attacks easily and headbutted him. 

“You wouldn’t understand, Kal-Rei!” Bellamont cried. “The years of grief and suffering!”

“Wouldn’t I?” Kal-Rei hissed. “I’m not killing you out of blind loyalty.” She grabbed his throat. “Once you’re dead I’ll be able to leave this wretched Brotherhood for good.” She hissed, digging her claws into the flesh of neck. Bellamont’s eyes widened and Kal-Rei threw him backwards.

Her tail whipped across his face, making Bellamont stumble. She hissed as she raked her claws across Bellamont’s face, feeling then tear through the soft skin of his cheek and creating deep gashes.

Her tail coiled around the hand Bellamont held his dagger in and tightened. She held his other hand tightly until the one snared by her tail turned purple from lack of blood flow and Mathieu dropped the dagger.

“Damn you…” Bellamont panted. “My revenge…”

Kal-Rei rolled her eyes and gripped Bellamont by the hair and pulled his head back. “Yes, how unfortunate, you were so close.” She slit his throat with her dagger and let him fall back to the stone floor of the tomb.

Kal-Rei stood up and panted. She had won, and now she might be able to leave the Brotherhood after all.

“Well done.”

Kal-Rei jumped and turned around, she had completely forgotten about the Night Mother.

“There truly is no one better to lead the Brotherhood. Well done, Listener.”

No, no, no, no, no, no! Panic began to rise in Kal-Rei. She was so close to escaping and now she was being dragged right back into the cycle, except it was worse this time.

Lead the Brotherhood? She’d never be able to leave, she would have to serve until her dying breath!

“No…” Kal-Rei whispered. She threw down her dagger and fled. Fled from the tomb, from Bravil, and as far from the Brotherhood as she could get.


End file.
